Recent environmental regulations and depletion of old-growth forests have made it increasingly difficult and expensive to obtain high-quality lumber for use in wood products. Such products include doors, windows, furniture, cabinets, and millwork. This is particularly a problem for wood products that are stained rather than painted, because stain is less likely than paint to cover irregularities in wood.
One way to address the difficulty and expense of obtaining high-quality lumber is to use a veneer. Veneered parts are created by affixing a higher-quality veneer, such as high-grade or clear wood, over a lower-quality core, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, plywood, laminated veneer lumber (LVL), or finger-jointed stock. Veneered parts more efficiently utilize high-quality wood, reducing wood requirements and associated costs.
In the manufacture of some wood products, such as doors and windows, veneered parts must be reshaped, and portions of the veneer and core may be removed. For example, in forming a window, a portion of a window stile or rail may be cut away to accommodate a pane of glass. Unfortunately, the portions of wood that are removed often must be discarded, because they cannot be used for any other purpose. The costs associated with discarding such wood may be considerable. In particular, the cost of veneer typically increases faster than the size of the veneer, because larger veneers must be obtained from larger, scarcer trees.